(BIVN) – Pepeʻekeo-based medical cannabis provider Lau Ola, LLC has received a Notice to Proceed from the Hawaiʻi Department of Health, paving the way for the company to provide cannabis medicine to patients on the Big Island.

Lau Ola made this announcement on Friday:

Lau Ola is thrilled to announce it has received the Notice to Proceed from the Department of Health. This notice allows for the acquisition and cultivation of cannabis at their state-of-the-art production facility on the Hamakua Coast. This is a milestone for the company, and for the State Medical Program.

The company is proud of the quality standards set in the State with the cannabis production facility they constructed from the ground up, and stands behind the time it took to do it right. “We have gone above and beyond State standards to ensure production of the highest quality cannabis medicine in the Pacific”, said Richard Ha, CEO. “Our mission is to become Hawaii’s Premier Medical Cannabis Provider.”

Lau Ola has taken the mandate set forth by the State’s Medical Program very seriously. There is an inherent responsibility to operate at a high quality standard when cultivating and producing products that patients consume as medicine. The eight licensees exist to provide infrastructure and support to qualifying patients, something that’s been unavailable for over 15 years. For the first time on the island, patients will be able to have access to clean, lab tested, medical grade cannabis at their convenience.

Lau Ola has secured three dispensary locations in Hilo, Kona, and Waimea. These retail locations are expected to be operational by the beginning of the new year.

Lau Ola is the second of two licensed medical cannabis dispensaries on Hawaiʻi Island to be given the go ahead. Hawaiian Ethos, LLC was issued a Notice to Proceed in August.